Bill Text: NJ S1244 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Upgrades penalties for drag racing.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-25 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Law and Public Safety Committee [S1244 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S1244-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JAMES W. HOLZAPFEL
District 10 (Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Upgrades penalties for drag racing.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning motor vehicle racing and amending P.L.1955,
c.217.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 1 of P.L.1955, c.217 (C.39:5C-1) is amended to read as follows:
1. A person who shall operate or attempt or agree to operate a motor vehicle on a public highway in a race with any other motor vehicle or for the purpose of making a speed record or who shall arrange for, manage, encourage, or assist in, the holding of, or the attempting to hold, any such race or speed race event, [is a disorderly person and, upon conviction] commits an offense punishable by imprisonment of up to one year, but the court shall sentence the offender to a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 180 days, during which the offender shall be ineligible for parole. The offender also shall be punished by a fine of not less than [$25.00] $500 nor more than [$100.00] $1,000 for the first offense and for each subsequent offense a fine of not less than [$100.00] $1,000 nor more than [$200.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or both] $2,000.
(cf: P.L.1955, c.217, s.1)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would upgrade the penalties for drag racing. Under current law, a person who is convicted of operating a motor vehicle on a public highway in a race with another motor vehicle, or to make a speed record, is fined for a first offense at least $25, but not more than $100. For a second offense, the fine is at least $100, but not more than $200, a term of imprisonment of up to 90 days, or both.
Under the bill, drag racing would be an offense punishable by up to a year imprisonment, but the offender would be required to serve a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 180 days during which he or she would be ineligible for parole. The bill also increases the fines imposed to between $500 and $1,000 for a first offense, and to between $1,000 and $2,000 for a second or subsequent offense.
